1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved thread feeding apparatus adapted for use with a conventional warp knitting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are several different types of well known devices for transferring thread from a spool to a warp knitting machine. Almost all of the devices incorporate a transfer chain which draws the warp thread from a spool through some sort of guide. The guides or feeding mechanisms differ from machine to machine. According to one known device, a plurality of levers are used to guide the thread from the spools to the transfer chain. The curvature of the path of the levers is chosen so that the arcs described by the levers intersect the chain at a predetermined pick up point. At that point, a clamp on the chain picks up the thread and drags it across the length of the warp knitting machine. The lever is adapted to pivot and follow the movement of the withdrawn thread. With the thread fully extended, a mechanism on the warp knitting machine picks up the thread at a point near the lever and cuts it and subsequentially feeds it into the warp knitting machine. Such a device is described in German Pat. No. 2,034,283 in FIG. 3 thereof. This technique is limited by the fact that it is undesirable to have a large number of levers moving in a confined space. There are also inertial and frictional problems associated with the devices.
Another technique known in the prior art is the figure 8 chain feeding mechanism. This device was an improvement over the lever type mechanism; however, it still lacks the ability to handle a large number of weft threads efficiently. In view of the above, it was therefore desirable to provide a new apparatus of relatively simple construction which would allow a substantially large number of weft threads to be handled at one time.